Disclaimer
This report was compiled by an ADRC visiting researcher (VR) from ADRC
member countries.
The views expressed in the report do not necessarily reflect the views ofthe ADRC. The boundaries and names shown and the designations usedon the maps in the report also do not imply official endorsement or
acceptance by the ADRC.

For Visiting Researcher Programme 2011 A,A ADRC,ADRC Kobe,
Kobe Japan

Sisira Wanninayake
Assistant Director (District)
Disaster Management Centre
Ministry of Disaster Management
Sri Lanka
Visiting Researcher (2011(2011––A)
ADRC, Kobe ,Japan
16th August 2011, Kobe ,Japan

Content of the Presentation
1.

General Information of the country
I.
II
II.
III.

2.

Natural hazards in the country
II.
II.

3.

Geography
ClimateDemography
NaturalNt lhhazards
d liklikelyl tto affect
ff t ththe countryt
Recent major disasters

Disaster Management System
I.
II.
III.

Administrative system
Legal system and framework
Structure of disaster management
a.
b.
c.

4.
4
5.
6.

National platform for disaster risk reduction
National organizations for disaster risk reduction
Local organizations for disaster risk reduction

Disaster Management Strategy
Strategy, Policy and Plan
Progress of the Implementation of Hyogo Framework ofAction(HFA)ADRC counterpart (organization name & Contact Information)

Geography•Sri
S i LLankak iis an IIslandl d•Location
I di ocean, IIndianIndian
di subb
continent
Latitudes 50.55
55’‐990.55
55 NLongitudes 790.42’‐810.52’ E
Land area : 65,610
65 610 km2•Land•Maximum Length
g : 445 km•Maximum Breadth : 225 km

Elevation

RiversImportant Places

Climate•Due to the location of Sri Lanka
Lanka, the climate could becharacterized as tropical.
•Sri
S i LLankak lilies on IInter TTropicali lCConvergent ZZone (ITCZ)(ITCZ).
•The topographical features strongly affect the spatial
patterns of winds, seasonal rainfall, temperature, relative
humidity and other climatic elements, particularly during
the monsoon season.
p origins.
gMonsoonal,•Rainfall in Sri Lanka has multiple
Convectional and expressional
The mean annual rainfall varies from 900mm to•The5000mm.

ITCZ

Mean Annual Rainfall(mm)•The
Th mean annuall ttemperaturetvaries
i ffrom16
160c to27
t 270c.
•Climate experienced during 12 months period in SriLanka can be characterized in to 4 climate seasonspFirst Inter‐monsoon Season – March‐April
Southwest monsoon season – May‐September
Second Inter‐monsoon
Inter monsoon season – October‐November
October November
Northeast Monsoon season ‐ December – February•Three Agro ecological zones based on climaticconditions.
•Wet zone
Inter mediate zone
•Inter•Dry zone

Population
Year

Total

MaleFemale

2001

18,797,257,,9,359,148,,9,438,109,,2010(E i(Estimated)d)

20,653,000

10,249,000

10,404,000

Languages:‐
Languages:
Sinhala (official and national language)
74%
Tamil (national language) 18%
other 8%
English (a link language commonly) isused in government and spoken
competently by about 10% of the
population

Religions:‐B ddhi 70%
BuddhistMuslim 7.5%
Hindu 15%
Christian 7.5%
Ethnic ggroups:‐p73.8% Sinhalese13.9% Tamil7.2% Moors
4.6% Indian Tamil
Others.
5%History of Sri Lanka•History of Sri Lanka begins around 30,000 years ago when the island was first
inhabited• Chronicles,
Chronicles including the Mahawansa,
Mahawansa the Dipavansa,
Dipavansa the Chulavansa and theRajaveliya, record events from the beginnings of the Sinhalese monarchy in the 6thcentury BC•Buddhism was introduced in the 3rd century BC by Arhath Mahinda (son of theIndian emperor Ashoka the Great)•European
European Colonialists arrived in the 16th century and disestablishment of themonarchy in 1815.
•Portuguese arrived in 1505 and ruled a part of the country’s coastal Area.
•Dutch rule lasted from 1656 to 1796 and ruled a part of the country.
•British ruled from 1796 to 1948
•By a peaceful process and constitutional evolution,evolution Sri Lanka won back her
independence in 1948 and is now a sovereign republic.
•The Sri Lankan Civil War began in 1983, ending in 2009.

World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka
 Eight sites of Sri Lanka have been inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage
1. The ancient city of Polonnaruwa (1982)
2. The ancient city of Sigiriya (1982)
Kandy Dalada
3. The Golden Temple of Dambulla (1991)
Maligawa
4. The old town of Galle and its fortifications (1988)
Anuradhaura55.
Th sacredThed city
it off AnuradhapuraAdh(1982)
Dambulla
6. The sacred city of Kandy (1988)
7. The Sinharaja Forest Reserve (1988)
8. The Central Highlands of Sri Lanka (2010).
Polonnaruwa

Sigiriya

Sinharaja ForestGalleNational Symbols

National Emblem

National Flower“Nil Mahanel”
Blue water lily

Government SystemNational Flag

National Bird
“Wali kukula”
Jungle fowl

National Tree“Na”
Iron wood

ParliamentName of the State:‐ Democratic Socialist
RRepublic
bli off Sri
S i Lanka
L kHead of the state :‐ Executive PresidentParliament : ‐225 members
Cabinet
Provincial councils :‐ Nine PC
Local authorities :‐ 335

President :‐ His excellence the President Mahida RajapakshaPrime Minister :‐ Hon. D.M.Jayarathne

Minister for Disaster Management : ‐ Hon. Mahinda AmaraweeraDeputy Minister for Disaster Management : ‐ Hon.Duleep Wijesekara
Secretary for the Ministry of Disaster Management :‐ Mrs. S.M. MohomadDirector General for Disaster Management Centre :‐ Major Gen. GaminiHettiarachchi

Nine Provincial Councils
and 335 Local Bodies

Administration Twenty five Districts
and 327 Divisional Secretariats

Economy•Currency :‐: Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)•GDP :‐ 56 USD billion, (2010)•Per Capita Income :‐ USD 2399 (2010)•Unemployment :‐ 4.9 % (2010)•Literacy Rate :‐ 97 % (2010)•Tsunami•Landslides•Droughts
Li ht i
•Lightning•Floods
Coastal Erosions•Coastal•Wild Elephant Attacks •Epidemics•Cyclones•Fire•TornadosTd•Dam Failures
High Winds•High

Disaster Impacts by all hazards from 1974 to 2007

Loss of Human Lives due to disasters:
1974 2007
1974‐2007

Damaged & Destroyed
Houses : 1974‐2007

People Affected due toDisasters : 1974 – 2007

District

No of Affected
peopleRathnapura

3,329,806

Batticaloa

2,036,295

Monaragala

1,638,509

Puttlam

1,625,443

Kurunegala

1,410,425

Ampara1,072,272Anuradapura

1,041,128

Impacts on Paddy & otherCrops: 1974‐2007

Loss of Human Lives due toDisasters: 1974‐2007

Di t i t
District

N off DNoDeaths
thMulative

26,346

Ampara4,321

Batticaloa

3,820

Hambantota

2,638

Galle

1,639

Matara1,518

Trincomaleel994

Ratnapura

484

Destroyed Houses due toDisasters : 1974 ‐ 2007

District

No of Houses

Trincomalee

106,672

Ampara23,378

Batticaloa

22,516

Anuradapura

12,788kalutara

8,606

Matara

8,317

Galle

7,104

Paddy & other Crops
Damage due to Disasters :1974 ‐ 2007
District

No of Damage (Ha)Kurunegala

141 400
141,400

Matale123,092

Polonnaruwa

71 22071,220Matara57,119K l t
Kalutara

57 052
57,052

Monaragala

41,760

Badulla41,374

Ampara23,698Floods (1974 ‐ 2007)

Animal Attacks (1974 – 2007)

Floods

Wild Elephant Attacks

Droughts (1974 – 007)

Landslides (1974 – 2007)• Southern, Western, Eastern andprone to
Northern coastal belt is pTsunami• The unprecedented havoc causedb Tsunami
byT
i had
h d devastated
dt t d twot
thirds of the coastal belt of SriLanka.
• More than 35,000 lives were lostand 100,000 houses werecompletely damaged in thirteen
districts along the coastal belt.
Approximately 5,000 people weremissing.
missingEvolution of Ministries/Departments for DM• Before 1977 -Dept. of Social Services• 1977 – 1988 -Ministry of Social Services/Department of social Services
1994 -Ministry
Ministry of Rehabilitation,
Rehabilitation Reconstruction and Social Welfare• 1989 –1994• 1994 – 1995 -Ministry of Health & Social Services• 1995-Ministry of Social Services• 1996-National
N ti l DisasterDi t ManagementMt Centre
C t (NDMC)/ Dept.
D t off Social
S i lServices• Since 1996, while NDMC has been doing in Disaster management activities
consisting Preparedness, Mitigation, Response and Recovery measures , the Dept.
of Social services was providing relief assistance to the disaster victims• Meanwhile, Ministryy of Rehabilitation and Reconstruction and several otherorganizations have been assisting displaced persons due to civil conflict• May 13th 2005 –The National Disaster Management Act, No. 13 was passed
No 1422/22,1422/22 dated on 08 Dec.
Dec 2005 two ministries were• Dec 2005 – Under gazette No.
established as» Ministry of Disaster Management & Human Rights» Ministry of Disaster Relief Services• 2010 Ministry of Disaster Management was establishedRequirement for Disaster Management Legislation
Floods and Landslides in 2003
 37,221 Families affected 756,027 persons affected 369 persons didiedd
 37227 houses damaged
 Governmento ee allocateda oca ed Rs.
s 1740.15
0 5 mn foro relief
e e aandd rehabilitatione ab a oassistanceTotal estimated economic loss were Rs. 7000 million
Tsunami in 2004
 260,967 families affected 1.3mn
1 3mn people affected 35,000 people died 5000 people missing
108,467 houses damaged
Total estimated economic loss were US$ 3.6 billon
In theh llast 10 years periodd beforeb f2005, it was reported
d 35 major disasters
dandd
the total economic loss were US$ 6.16 billionCurrent Disaster Management System in Sri Lanka
Legal frame work for DM –Sri Lanka disaster Management act,No.13 of 2005

••

•
•

The National Council for DisasterManagement (NCDM) was established byth actttheThe Disaster Management Centre (DMC)
was established under the National
Council for Disaster Management(NCDM) as the lead agency on disastergin the countryy inrisk management
implementing the directives of NCDMIn December 2005, the Ministry for
Disaster Management was established.
established
On January 2006, Ministry of Disaster
Management & Human Rights (withhhumanrighti ht portfolio)
tf li ) established.
t bli h dNational Council For Disaster Managementg(NCDM)()
Ministers in charge ofSocial Services
Rehabilitation &Reconstruction
Home Affairs
HealthScience &Technology
Housing
Coast Conservation

Ministers in charge ofPolice

Chair
Chi Person:P
H E PPresident
H.E.
idVice Chairman: Hon. Prime Minister
Opposition Leader
Chief
Ministers

Finance
LandFisheriesFi
h i &A
Aquaticti
Resources
Foreign Affairs

Opposition
MPs

Water SupplyHighways

Ministryy of Disaster Managementg

Urban Development

Irrigation
Power

Education

DMC

Defence

Environment

Coordination Mechanism in Disaster Management
RDA
Department ofM t
MeteorologylAtomic Energy Authority

GSMB

Other Agencies

National Council for
Disaster Management

NBRO

Medical Research Institute
NSF
CEB
CCD

Ministry of Disaster Management

Department. of Agriculture

NARA
Dept of Social Services

CMC & Fire Brigade

RADA

DMC

Military & Police

Marine Pollution &Prevention
Pti Authority
A th it

Mahaveli Authority
Department of Irrigation
NWS&DB

Health Department

Through District Assistant Directors

UN Agencies

UDANGOS

Provincial Councils

District Secretariats

Local Authorities

Divisional Secretariats

Line departments

District NGOs
and CBOs

Organization Structure of Disaster Management Centre
National
Consultants

DISASTER MANAGEMENT CENTRE

National Level(Director General)

DisasterManagement
Technology,
Mitigation
Unit

Tech.
Com.

Tech.
hCom.

Forecasting,
Early warning &Dissemination
Unit(Director)

Preparedness
Planning
Unit

Tech.
Com.

Tech.
hCom.

Intermediate &Local Levels

Tech.
Com.

(Director)

Personnel &Administration Branch((Deputyp y Director))

National
Emergency
Operation
Centre(Director)(Director)(Director)
Finance Branch(Deputy Director)

Training,
Education &Public
Awareness
Unit

Media Unit
(Deputy Director)

District Disaster Management Units(District Emergency Operation Centers)(DISTRICT ASSISTANT DIRECTORS)Disaster Management Assistants

Disaster Risk Management Mechanism at Intermediate and Local Level

District Secretary
District Committee
Emergency Op. Rooms
Govt. Departments

DisasterM
Managementt
CentreProv. Level DisasterManagementCommittee
LLocall Authority
A th itCommittees

District Assistant
Di tDirectors

Military & PoliceDiv. Level Committees
Private Sector
GN Committees
Village volunteer Groups

Sub Committees :‐Early Warning, Health, Search & Rescue,
Security and Coordinating. Village Task Force

NGOs/ CivilSocieties
BusinessCommunities

Functions of the DMC as per the DM Act• Preparation & implementation of National Disaster
Management Plan for the country• Preparation & implementation of National Emergency
Operation Plan for the country• Assisting various Ministries,
Ministries Government Departments,
Departments orPublic Corporations in preparing their disastermanagement plans• Implementing programs and plans for disaster
preparedness, mitigation, prevention, relief, rehabilitation,and reconstruction activities and coordinating of suchorganizations• Issuing instructions and guidelines to appropriateorganizations, non‐governmental organizations, districtsecretaries and divisional secretaries on activities related
to disaster management• Promote research & development programs

Disaster Management Centre (DMC)
Vision:DisasteriRisk
i k Management for
f
safer
f
communities and sustainable developmenti Sriin
S i Lanka.
L kTheh Broadd Mission:i i

To create a culture of safety amongcommunities and the nation at large
through systematic management of natural,technological and man‐made disaster risks.

Main Activities of DMC
Disaster Management Centre works to enforce, coordinate andmonitor the activities related to11.

Disaster Management Technology,
Technology Long‐termLong term Mitigation & DRR

Hazard Mapping and Risk Assessment
Information and Data Collection
Research and Analysis
Building Technology
DMC Website
Long term Disaster Risk Reduction
Specific risk reduction projects to reduce specific identified risks that cancause future disasters
DRR integration in Development
Long‐term action planning•••••••••22.

Early Warning
Have systems in place for receiving forecasting and early warning
Forecasting of impending disasters
Early warning and Dissemination•••

Continue

3.

Emergency Operations in case of a disaster• Establishment
bl hoff Nationall Emergency Operation Centre• Establishment of Emergency Operation Rooms at provincial, district anddivisional levels• Carryingy g out Emergency
g y Operations,p, coordinatingg with armed forces,, police
pand other related agencies at national and all sub levels

4.

Preparedness Planning (National and other levels)• Preparation
Pi off N
Nationalil Di
Disaster M
Management Pl
Plan andd EEmergencyOperation Plans• Facilitating, issuing guidelines, coordinating, directing and monitoring ofpreparation of disaster preparedness and response plans at provincial,
district local authority,
district,authority divisional and village levels• Preparedness for timely and effective response, equitable relief
distribution, speedy recovery, timely rehabilitation and reconstruction at
national level and all sub levels
Training, Education & Public Awareness

5.

••
•

Training – Disaster risk reduction related training at all levels
Education – integration of disaster risk reduction in school curricula and inuniversity curricula as appropriate
Social Marketing (Public Awareness) – Programmes for officials at all levels,school children and communityy level

Erection of warning signs

Early Warnings

Progress for Implementing the Hyogo Framework for Action(HFA)
National progress report on the implementation of the Hyogo Framework forAction (2009‐2011) has been prepared by Sri LankaThe
Th NDMC meets regularlyl l andd discusses
diprogrammes implemented
i ld bybmembers and policy requirements to make implementation more effective.
Nearlyy 40 perp cent of the activities identified in the Road Mapp have commenced.
The Disaster Management Act is being modified to give more authority to theDMC in terms of coordination of disaster management activities. The draft Act
has been forwarded to the Attorney GeneralGeneral’ss Department.
Department
Disaster management concepts were included in the Local Governance Policy,
which has been approved by the Government. The DMC has already provided
disaster concerns to be incorporated into the Act based on the LG policy.
Building application used by Local Authorities for approval of land subdivisionplans and building plans are being modified with the concurrence of the UDA toincluded DRR concepts. The draft format has been submitted to the UDA for
their consideration.
Other………
Oth

ADRC Counterpart
Director GeneralMajor Gen.Gamini Hettiarachchi(Retd)
Disaster Management Centre
2nd Floor,
No.498,, R.A.de Mel Mawatha,,
Colombo‐3
Telephone ( General ) : +94‐112‐136136
Fax ( EOC) : + 94‐112‐670079
Fax ( General) : + 94‐112‐670025
E‐mail : info@dmc.gov.lk
g, dgdmc@sltnet.lkgWebsite : www.dmc.gov.lk

Supporting AgenciesUNDP
ADRCJICA
ADPCUNHCROCHANGOsINGOs